


Winter Is All Over You

by Lavieannie



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2018-12-15 21:59:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11815026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavieannie/pseuds/Lavieannie
Summary: Jon left the North, his heart and Ghost in Sansa's hands.





	1. Chapter 1

The first night was the hardest. Sansa could not sleep because she was so petrified. She would pace around her room, picking at the cuticles, her restless eyes darting to the door every few seconds or so.

Jon had only been gone for a couple of hours, yet she already wanted to slap herself for what a mess she had become. Not in front of the Lords, servants and her people of course. No, to them she can hold herself as the strong figure they need her to be, the unmoving and cold woman she has to be. On the other hand whe she is just with Jon, whether strolling in the Godswood or sitting by the fire in his room, she can be the Sansa who laughs and teases him, the warm girl she should have been.

Nevertheless Jon had left her and gone down South to meet the foreign Targaryen, of whom Sansa heard that she was a great beauty, even the most beautiful woman in the world. Or so Littlefinger had told her. The Targaryen's beauty was of no consequence to Sansa. It was her intent that worried her. Stark men never did well when they went South.

Sansa was all alone, with no one to protect and care for her. No one who truly cared for her wellbeing without sacred vows anyway. And it is now, at her most vulnerable and scared, that all the vicious memories of all the terrible things that have happened to her start to creep into her mind. There is no Jon to calm her down, to soothe her and hold her as she panicked.

Tears started to stream down her face and she wiped them away with a shaking hand. No, she cannot cry. She must be strong like her Lady Mother. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Yes, she must be strong.

It was as she was calming down that she first heard it. The scratching at the door. It was persistent but also so soft as of it did not want to disturb her if she was asleep. Sansa immediately recognised it since she often heard it when she retired to her room. She moved to her door and opened it to find Ghost. She opened the door wider and he came ambling in, silent as ever. Ghost immediately started to nose her hand and Sansa could not help but smile.

"Sweet boy." She whispered as she moved to stroke his fur. "He left you too. Just like me."

She started to scratch behind his ear and Ghost moved closer until Sansa had to wrap her arms around his neck. She sighed and nuzzled into his soft fur and it warmed her face much more than the fire in her room could. They both sat on the floor, Ghost with his head in Sansa's lap and she stroking his fur while staring out her window at the snow descending delicately down.

"I miss him too."


	2. Chapter 2

Ghost followed Sansa everywhere. He was constantly by her side. Whether it be when she was listening to the Northern Lords' petitions or visiting the smallfolk in Wintertown, the hulking direwolf was always there. He was often fondly referred to as the Lady's Shadow by the people of Winterfell. Ghost only ever left Sansa to hunt outside of the grounds and even then just for a couple of hours. He was her sworn protector.

It was on one of those rare occasions, when Ghost was not with her, Sansa found herself alone in the Godswood. She often came here to ruminate. The only place where she could truly be alone especially now that Jon had left. She oddly felt close to him in the Godswood, even if there were no true Weirwood down south, she still felt at ease like there was some loose connection to Jon in these woods.

However today someone else had decided to join her.

Littlefinger's ever constant smirk was present and as he moved to stand beside her, he commented "Well, Lady Stark, isn't this a surprise."

Sansa could not help but roll her eyes "Not really. I am often in the Godswood as you already know." She moved to sit beneath the Weirwood and much to her chagrin Littlefinger sat next to her, "It is much too cold for you to be out, Lord Baelish."

For some reason Littlefinger did not take the hint. He was like a sore thorn in her side, constantly around her and always saying something cryptic and vague to annoy her. Sansa knew she could not send him away and that she must be nice to him since along with Littlefinger came the Vale army and resources. No, Sansa had to put up with Littlefinger's presence. Nevertheless she did but she made sure she was never alone with him until this moment. She knew what he wanted and like a predictable dog the next thing Sansa knew and much to her horror, Littlefinger had raised a finger and slid it down her cheek.

Sansa felt the air punch out of her lungs. She did not allow men to touch her, not without her express permission and even then Jon was the only one who has touched her since she had run away from the monsters. She did not trust any man except Jon. Sansa was repulsed by Littlefinger's touch. She had started to tremble and was about to say something until suddenly Littlefinger was not anywhere near her.

"Aaah!" Came a scream and Sansa whipped her head around to find Ghost dragging Littlefinger away. Ghost had the back of Littlefinger's cloak between his teeth. Sansa watched in shock as Littlefinger flailed to escape while Ghost's eyes gleamed in anger as red as the Weirwood leaves above them, his growl vibrating deeply into the snow packed ground.

Sansa could not help but revel slightly in the chaos before her. Littlefinger was almost chocking on his cloak by how hard Ghost was pulling him. It felt good to not be the one to suffer for once. But she knew that she would have to stop this soon or risk losing men, food and an alliance, so she called out softly "Ghost to me."

Instantly Ghost let go of Littlefinger and stalked over to Sansa, taking a protective stance in front of her. Sansa stroked his fur trying to calm him down. She could feel the anger radiate off him and she knew that he would have killed Littlefinger if she had not called for him.

Littlefinger leapt to his feet, gasping for breath and brushing away the show from his torn cloak. Once he had caught his breath and glared murderously at Ghost and spat out "That foul beast needs to be put down. It is a danger to everyone."

"Ghost won't harm anyone." retorted Sansa calmly, "Well to anyone who does not pose a threat to the Starks. It would be wise if you left, Lord Baelish."

Knowing that he had been defeated, Littlefinger sniffed and left the Godswood. Sansa smiled as she watched him leave.

"You are a very good protector, boy." Sansa whispered to Ghost and moved to hug him tightly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is straight after Game of Faces.

After her confrontation with her sister, Sansa did not know what to do.

Her heart beat in her throat and her palms were sweaty. She stormed into her room and when she saw one of her maids she could not help but snap "Leave now!"

The maid shocked at her Lady's sharp tone scurried away in fright. Sansa knew she would have to apologise later for her anger. It was not fair on the maid for she was not the one that caused Sansa's distress. 

Once alone Sansa collapsed on her bed. She was so tired. She felt the tears start to stream down her face. Sansa could not be strong at this moment. Not after what she faced with her sister. She lay her head down on her and she cried. 

What happened to Arya?

What had happened to her baby sister?

Sansa knew fear. She had the scars to prove it. She had thought that once she and Jon had reclaimed their home she would never be afraid again. Not within the walls of Winterfell. Not from her own blood. Sansa let out a shuddering breath and turned her face into her pillow. 

Sometimes Sansa thought she could smell her mother in the pillows even though Sansa knew it was impossible. The pillows were replaced along with everything else after the Boltons had been destroyed and it had been years since Catelyn Stark had slept in Winterfell. Nevertheless Sansa could still smell the lingering lavender and the hint of summer snow that reminded Sansa of her mother. It made the tears fall harder. 

She must have fallen asleep at some point because a heavy weight lay next to Sansa, waking her up to dark skies and a candle burning next to her. Sansa scratched the sleep from her sore eyes and turned over to find Ghost staring at her with those unnerving scarlet eyes. 

"Ghost." whispered Sansa as she moved closer to the direwolf until they were almost nose to snout. "I have nobody here except for you, Ghost."

The direwolf just carried on staring at her and for some reason Sansa found it oddly comforting. It reminded her of when she and Jon had reunited and they could not stop staring at each other, drinking each other in, scared that the other would disappear if they looked away. How she wished Jon was here now.

Sansa snuggled closer to Ghost, her hand holding tight onto his fur and his steady breathing lulled her to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

It takes a while but Sansa hears a knock on her door. She knows who it is, and with a deep sigh, Sansa answers the knock “Come in.”

The door to her room opens and tentatively Jon walks in. Sansa remained seated next to the hearth and Jon stood before her. Usually Sansa would have curtseyed before her King, even if he was her brother, because Sansa was always a lady. However he had only arrived that very morning with the Dragon Queen right by his side. Sansa had no time to talk to him, let alone look at him properly, what with the upheaval of attending to the Targaryen queen, the North’s queen, and explaining what had happened in Winterfell while Jon was away. His reunion with her siblings took precedent over whatever she had to say and Sansa though it was important to give Jon and Arya their privacy.

No, it was not until the middle of the night, after everyone had feasted and went to bed, did Jon finally have a chance to come and see Sansa. She had waited for him, knowing her would knock on her door as was his custom to do so before he had left for the South. Back then they would share ale and reminisce over childhood memories of simpler times. Unfortunately now there was an angry tension in the air. Jon knew the conversation tonight would be anything but comfortable. 

“Well? Are you not going to take a seat?” enquired Sansa, her face half illuminated by the fire from the hearth and hard to read. Not that Sansa was ever easy to read for Jon.

He sat in the seat opposite Sansa and they fall into a silence. There is so much that is unsaid between them, so much to say but no words to say them. To Jon’s relief the unbearable silence is interrupted by a creak of the door and soft paws padding into the room. Ghost slinks in and took over the agonizing space between Jon and Sansa, placing his head on Jon’s knee and looking mutely as ever up at him.

Jon had not seen Ghost when he arrived home and was overjoyed to see his faithful companion once more. “Ghost. Where have you been boy? It is so good to see you again” murmured Jon, scratching the direwolf behind the ears.

The first smile, since Jon had returned, graced Sansa’s lips “Ghost has been my hero whilst you were gone.”

Jon could not help but gawk at Sansa’s smile in wonder “Really?”

Sansa nodded still gazing fondly at Ghost and unaware of Jon’s stare “He has helped me so much over the past year. I don’t know what I would have done, how I would have survived, without Ghost.” Said Sansa with a melancholy smile that Jon will never understand.

“You are the strongest person I know, Sansa. You can survive anything.”

Sansa looked up at Jon stunned, as if realising who was in front of her. They both stared at each other. Sansa finally smiled softly at Jon and Ghost moved over to Sansa to nuzzle into her open hand.

“I have missed you so much Jon” confessed Sansa.

“I… I have missed you too, Sansa.” By gods had Jon missed Sansa. More than the North itself.

“I don’t want to fight tonight.”

“Neither do I.”

Sansa leaned over Ghost and grasped Jon’s hand, finally touching him. He grasped onto her hand like a man drowning and she was her only preservation for life “Then let us just sit here, now together, and enjoy each other’s company. We will talk tomorrow, after you have seen Bran.”

Jon nodded in agreement, holding tight onto Sansa’s hand, and they both smiled at each other.

**Author's Note:**

> This is mainly about Sansa and Ghost but Jon is important too. Just absent.
> 
> Title is from First Aid Kit - Winter Is All Over You.


End file.
